A unified atomistic and kinetic framework for growth front morphology evolution and defect initiation in strained epitaxy

A unified framework based upon atomic processes and the nature of the associated kinetics underlying strained epitaxy of compound semiconductors is presented. Computer simulations based upon this framework treat, for the first time, strain relaxation via surface morphology roughening without defects and via defect initiation regardless of morphology, on the same footing. The unified model is recapitulated, the choices for the type and nature of the kinetic processes consistent with experimental observations are discussed, and the implications of these for new situations, such as (a) 3D island-induced strain fields and their impact on self-organized behavior (lateral and vertical), (b) enhancement of critical thicknesses for 2D to 3D morphology change as a function of growth on nanoscale size mesas, and (c) the existence of a self-limiting growth on nanoscale mesas are demonstrated through results on the GaAs(001)/InAs systems.